The ritual and habit of walking
February 07, 2026
There are four kinds of walks that I do regularly.
- Walk with a friend
- Walk and listen (to a book or podcast)
- Walk and think
- Walk for mindfulness
Like many people, I got serious about walking during the pandemic. I started wearing a Fitbit in 2020 and aimed for 10,000 steps a day. Some days that’s easy to do, and other days find me pacing through my house before bed, trying to get those final steps to meet my goal.
Walking for me is exercise, ritual, self-care, and meditation. It provides a reset, a time to reflect, and an anchor for my day.
If you do a lot of walking, these themes might be familiar.
-
Walk with a friend: This is a great way to visit with a friend while getting your steps and fresh air. I tend to walk further because the conversation matters more than the distance. The side-by-side position helps you venture into deeper topics because you’re not reading as much body language, and the act of walking may help you listen more closely. It works best if the route isn’t complicated.
-
Walk and listen: This is what I do most often, especially when the goal is simply getting my steps. I have a couple of podcasts I listen to (The Rest is History is my favourite) and I always have a non-fiction audio book on the go (most recently, Atomic Habits). I put all my attention to listening because I know my neighbourhood route, and it entertains me while I walk.
-
Walk and think: I often do this in the middle of a workday or when my mind is full. This type is best when you don’t need to be aware of your route, so your mind can be busy processing. Sometimes I get back home and don’t remember where I’ve been. It’s also great to do if I’m working on something that isn’t going well. When I get brilliant ideas during the walk, I capture them with a voice note on my phone.
-
Walk for mindfulness: This is another good one for managing a full mind. As you walk, focus all of your attention on the things around you (not on your thoughts). Look at the trees, the plants, the buildings. Notice the pets you meet. If you do this walk on your own street, pretend you just moved there and you’re seeing it all for the first time. If your mind drifts, just bring it back to your surroundings (the same way you would do when meditating).
I’d love to hear about the walks that you do! Send me a note and tell me all about it.